Troponin is currently the recommended biomarker for checking for heart attack.Creatine kinase was formerly measured in biomarker tests.
For this reason, blood tests for diagnosing heart attacks were originally known as cardiac enzyme tests.
Rather, troponin is a complex of regulatory proteins important to the contraction of cardiac muscle.
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How Are Biomarker Tests Used?
Measuring biomarkers is usually an important early step in diagnosing a heart attack.
Elevated creatine kinase levels usually, but not always, indicate heart muscle damage.
When troponin in found the bloodstream, it is a reliable indicator that heart cell damage has occurred.
When Are Biomarkers Most Helpful?
Here, the biomarker test is often critical in deciding whether acute therapy for a heart attack is required.
In people having an NSTEMI, the initial biomarker blood test may be in the “indeterminate” range.
What Causes False Elevation of Biomarkers?
Not all elevations in cardiac biomarkers indicate a heart attack.
However, damage to cardiac cells can occur for reasons other than an acute heart attack.
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